The present invention relates to a disk drive and pickup unit for an optical disk player, such as a compact disk (CD) player.
There is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. Sho 63-52163 a device for reproducing the data recorded in a disk record comprising a turntable mounted on the shaft of a motor, a clamper, and a pickup. The turntable is rotated with the disk record held between the turntable, and the clamper and the pickup are substantially radially moved relative to the disk during the reading of the disk. In such a conventional device, the turntable, motor and pickup are mounted as a unit on a separate support plate, which in turn is mounted on a main frame with anti-shock materials interposed therebetween.
In reproducing mode, the gap between the disk and pickup is maintained constant, so that the height of the turntable relative to the pickup is fixed.
in a conventional reproducing and driving unit, the support plate should be moved upward and downward, so that the motor is positioned lower in the nonreproducing mode than in the reproducing mode. Hence, the height of the reproducing device must have a value great enough to allow the downward movement of the motor, thus limiting the amount of height reduction. Moreover, since the entire reproducing and driving unit including the motor should be moved, power consumption is relatively great, and the pickup may be liable to excessive shock.